


The Corner Store

by KicsterAsh



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Humor, Siblings, Turtle Tots (TMNT), Winter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28922577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KicsterAsh/pseuds/KicsterAsh
Summary: Splinter lets the boys play in the alley and enjoy their first taste of winter while he goes scavenge for goods nearby, and ends up being gone longer than anticipated. Unable to lift the manhole, Raph decides to break one of his father's rules in order to make sure his brothers don't freeze: step out of the Saftey Zone and cross into the world of Humans.
Comments: 28
Kudos: 232





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First short story for Rottmnt! It's not going to have many chapters, maybe two or three, and it's all good fluff. Hope you enjoy :)

Mikey was excited. As his oldest brother helped him get dressed, he could hardly sit still. He had only ever seen the Surface once in his six years of life, and that was only to cross the alley because Splinter needed to grab something he forgot and suggested the boys come with him—even if it was only to peek out of the manhole. It was night time, so it was hard to see anything worth looking at besides the pretty neon lights of New York City. 

Today, was different. Splinter had a few extra things he had to search for—he had a pretty good idea where they could be—and since it was only for a short period of time, he decided it was a great opportunity to introduce the boys to the wonders that were the season of _Winter._ According to him, it was the best time for them to go out among humans without being seen. 

However, the cold was something he warned about. According to him, the season of winter could be quite dangerous to turtles like Mikey and his three big brothers. Like humans, the boys had to be properly dressed. 

“You will not be leaving the Lair again during winter until you boys are older,” Splinter had told them when he dropped a bunch of thick clothing on them. “I am not going to be gone for long, nor very far, this time. You will be able to see what New York looks like when there is snow.” 

Mikey loved the thought. He had always wanted to see snow since the first time he saw it in picture books. He hoped it would be as fluffy as he expected a cloud to be, which had to be plenty of fluff. 

He had never dressed in winter clothing before, so Raph, the oldest of the four, was tasked with helping him. 

“Hold still, Mikey,” the snapping turtle grumbled, fixing the boy’s scarf. “I gotta make sure this can cover your face.” 

Mikey giggled under the scarf that was clearly far too long for his tiny frame, just as Donnie and Leo, the two middle children, came rushing into Splinter’s bedroom where Raph and Mikey were getting dressed. The rat had gone to another part of the Lair, no doubt looking for the winter boots he said were for the boys. 

Like Mikey and Raph, Leo and Donnie were adorned in their corresponding colours of blue and purple. Leo hopped in, dressed in ski pants and a jacket that was wide open, and a blue beanie on his head. He had mitts hanging from his sleeves, connected to each other by a string. 

Donnie, like Raph, had taken getting dressed a little more seriously, and had his coat zipped up—from what Mikey understood, Raph and Donnie, being the two eldest, were given a little more information about the dangers of the cold season than Leo and Mikey were. 

It was probably also because Leo and Mikey had better things to be thinking of than serious information meant for adults. 

“Raph, what are you doing?” Donnie said, rushing over while fastening his black scarf around his neck. 

Raph lifted Mikey’s white beanie so he could see his eyes. “Getting Mikey dressed?” he muttered without looking at his brother. 

“Is that what it is?” Donnie said, placing his hands on his hips and raising an eyebrow. “It looks like you’re dressing a pile of winter gear.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“You have literally buried our precious baby brother under a mountain of human clothing!” Donnie pulled Raph’s hands away from Mikey’s scarf and flailed his arms. “Look; you can’t even _see_ him.” 

They stared at Mikey in silence as Leo rushed over. Mikey pushed up his beanie, or attempted to, seeing how it was now difficult to bend his joints now that he was wrapped in a thick jacket. 

Leo snickered. “I think he looks cozy,” he said, while reaching out and patting the giant pompom on the top of Mikey’s beanie. “Nice work, Raph.” 

“Don’t congratulate him,” Donnie scolded. “The only thing that’s telling us that’s Mikey are the two giant puppy dog eyes peeking out from under all the fabric!” 

Raph crossed his arms. “Dad said to dress Mikey warmly, and so I’m dressing him warmly!” he argued. “He looks happy with it to me.” 

They all looked at Mikey again. Mikey giggled and waved his arms back up and down. “I have a big head and little arms,” he said, his voice muffled by the scarf. “I’m not sure if this plan was thought through.” 

Donnie slapped his forehead, and Leo threw his head back and laughed. 

Raph rubbed his chin. “It’s not _that_ bad of a job, is it?” he said. 

“ _That_ bad?” Donnie said. “Raph, he’s reciting movie quotes. That means he finds it hilarious enough to make Leo-level jokes.” 

“Hey, my jokes are funny,” Leo said before hopping off like a frog. 

Donnie pushed up his glasses as Raph tried pushing up Mikey’s beanie again. “Point is, Mikey can hardly move. What’s the point of playing in the snow if you can’t _move?”_

“Dad just gave me a bunch of clothes to put him in so that he didn’t freeze, and I dressed him in all the clothes I was given!” Raph exclaimed, spreading out his arms. “Not _my_ fault the stuff Pops gave is twice Mikey’s size. I can’t help it if he hasn’t had a growth spurt like me.” 

“You didn’t have a growth spurt; snapping turtles are just bigger than box turtles,” Donnie said, eyebrow raised. “And just because Dad gave you a pile of clothes to use, doesn’t mean you need to use _all_ of them. Just use what’s necessary.” 

“He’s got a coat, pants, mitts, a hat and a scarf to cover our green skin,” Raph said, numbering down his fingers. “Just like the rest of us. What do you want me to take off, Donnie?” 

Mikey raised his arm to make a suggestion, but he raised it too quickly. The weight of all his new clothing tipped him over, sending him to the floor on his back with a yelp. Donnie and Raph braced themselves at the impact before leaning over him. 

The little box turtle raised his arms and tried to sit up, but found he could hardly even raise himself halfway. Between his shell and his now fabric-layered body, he was almost too perfectly spherical. He tried at least thrice to sit, even roll over; nothing worked. 

“Uuumm,” he said, as Leo leaned in over him as well. Mikey looked at Raph and giggled. “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” He held out his arms. “Help me, please.” 

Leo covered his mouth and stifled a laugh, while Donnie stared flatly and the turtle clad in red. 

Raph looked back at the softshell turtle and shrugged. “At least he’ll be warm?” he said. 

As Leo began rocking Mikey side to side while singing _Row Your Boat,_ Donnie rolled his eyes. “I’ll replace the scarf,” he muttered, taking his mitts off. 

***** 

It was not long after Donnie had put on a much shorter scarf—and had removed a few layers of unnecessary sweaters—that Splinter returned with the boots. After they were all set, he led them out of the Lair. On any normal occasion, they held onto his tail, but seeing as he was going scavenging during the day, he had tucked it into his clothes. Instead, Raph held onto his coat by slipping a hand into Splinter’s pocket, and the three younger turtles formed a chain from oldest to youngest behind him. 

Walking through the sewers was not difficult for the turtle tots. Climbing up to the manhole _was._ It was enough of a struggle for eight-year-old Raph to scramble up with all of his winter clothes on, and Donnie and Leo both tried and failed the first three times. Splinter did not even give Mikey a chance to try once, and held him under his arm as he climbed up behind the other boys. 

Raph, Donnie and Leo had to count and push simultaneously in order to lift the manhole lid enough for them to peek. Leo gasped first, at the beautiful sea of white, and crisp chill in the air that made their breath visible. Humans dressed in similar attire walked back and forth on the sidewalk at the other end of the alley, and only a handful of cars zipped by. The usual steps of humans were muffled by the soft snow, and the friction between it and the cars on the street created brown slush that splashed about. Puddles that had turned from water to chocolate slushies, Raph thought. 

“Whooooooaaaaa,” Leo said in awe, as Donnie breathed out of his mouth and then watched his breath dissipate. “It’s like the clouds fell to the ground and the air turned to ice!” 

“Lemme see!” Mikey exclaimed, as Splinter held him up. He pushed between Donnie and Leo and placed his mittened hands over the snow outside the manhole. “Ooo, it’s so fluffy,” he said. “Just like clouds! I was right. Snow _is_ clouds.” 

“Technically, snow is a form of frozen rain,” Donnie said. “And every flake that falls is different.” 

“That’s a lie,” Leo said, looking at him while Mikey patted the snow down. “There’s no _way_ every snowflake that falls from the sky is different. There’s gotta be a double _somewhere._ ” 

“Not according to the internet.” 

“But _we’re_ doubles. So there’s gotta be twin snowflakes.” 

Raph peered over at his purple brother, unable to hold back even the tiniest of smirks. This word "twin" had been one of Donnie’s least favourite in the dictionary. It made his chest puff out and the softshell would make the most appalled expression Raph had ever seen. 

“For the umpteenth time, Leo _,”_ Donnie said through his teeth, “We’re not _twins._ We’re not even identical. Which still proves your point wrong, even if we were twins.” 

Leo grinned deviously and narrowed his eyes. “If you weren’t my twin, you wouldn’t try to beat me,” he said. He squeezed himself out from the manhole and scrambled to his feet. “Last one to the garbage disposal is a four-eyed self-proclaimed genius!” 

“That’s largely specific and _HEY!”_ Donnie scrambled out after him. 

Raph groaned at the added weight of holding up the manhole lid alone, but thankfully his father was quick to help. “Why do they always do that at the dumbest times?” he grumbled. 

Splinter chuckled as Raph crawled out of the hole next. “You are no better, Red,” he said. “And you are little boys; it is good to enjoy life this way. You learn to trust and challenge each other.” 

“I dunno about trust, but it’s definitely a challenge, that’s for sure.” Raph grabbed Mikey by his hands and pulled him out. He backed away from the manhole, dragging Mikey, to allow the rat to crawl out. 

As Mikey stood up and dusted the snow off of his stomach, Donnie and Leo ran by, throwing snow at each other while laughing. 

“Be careful,” Raph called after them. “There is such thing as ice, ya know!” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Leo shouted back as he turned around and came to a stop. “We know—!” 

As if on cue, Donnie’s feet flew out from beneath him, sending him flying to the ground with a shriek. He slid into Leo and swept his feet out from beneath him, causing the red-eared slider to fall forward onto his brother with a scream. There was hardly a beat between Leo landing on top of Donnie and the two of them bursting into a fit of laughter. 

Mikey laughed and clapped his hands, having enjoyed the spectacle before him. 

“Okay, I’ll admit _that_ was funny,” Raph mumbled with a smile. 

Splinter climbed out of the manhole and closed it behind him. He stood up straight and stretched out before clapping his hands together. “Boys,” he called out, “Please come here for a moment.” He waited for Donnie and Leo to have returned, after dusting snow off of each other, before clearing his throat and continuing: “I will not be gone for long. Hopefully, only thirty to forty minutes. Perhaps less. However, I do have some rules for you.” 

He pointed to the sidewalk where the humans were walking. “Rule number one: as per the usual if you come to the Surface with me, you are not to cross over to the walkway,” he said. “Where the buildings end, you do not pass. The Safe Zone is in this alley and the adjacent alley opposite of the exit to the street.” 

He pointed down the alley they were in, and the one that crossed through at the other end. The four turtles followed with their eyes where he pointed. 

“You can run anywhere down there and around here,” Splinter said. “Unless for a _very_ good reason, you are not to pass the Safe Zone at all. Not without me. Understood?” 

All four boys nodded their heads simultaneously. 

“Rule number two,” Splinter continued, holding up two fingers from his gloves, “You keep _all_ of your clothes on. No matter how hot you get.” He pointed at Leo, who was just unzipping his jacket. “That means you, Leonardo; zip that up.” 

Leo zipped his jacket back up with haste. 

“Winter is a dangerous time of year for little turtles like you,” Splinter continued. “You are cold blooded, therefore you must stay very warm otherwise you risk getting very sick and very sleepy.” He held up a third finger. “And Rule Number Three; keep your faces covered, and stay together.” 

“Yessir,” all four turtles replied. 

Splinter rubbed their heads. “Raphael, you are in charge,” he said, and Raph puffed out his chest with pride. “I do not plan on being gone for long, but make sure your little brothers stay safe.” He turned and began walking off. “Go back into the sewers if it becomes too cold. I will return before the sun sets.” And with that, he left. 

Mikey waved at him until he disappeared, and then looked at his brothers while spreading out his arms. “Let’s see who can get the best facewash!” he exclaimed while squatting down. 

Raph scratched his head as Mikey scooped up some snow. “How do you get a facewash with snow?” he asked. 

“I’ll show you.” Mikey stood up, looked at Raph and beckoned him over. Just as the red-clad turtle leaned down, Mikey slapped all the snow in his hands directly over Raph’s face. The snapping turtle stumbled backwards and fell onto his back on the ground. 

Donnie covered a laugh and Leo shouted while raising his arms. “Raph you just got _owned_!” he exclaimed. “How does it feel to be outsmarted by the baby bro?” 

Raph wiped the snow off of his face and smiled with narrowed eyes. “I’ll tell you how,” he said, scooping a pile of snow three times the size that Mikey had made. 

Donnie, Leo and Mikey yelped before dashing off while laughing, Raph giving them chase. 


	2. Chapter 2

“Twenty minutes over,” Donnie said, checking his watch an hour later. He looked up at the sky overhead, and street lights were beginning to turn on. 

Up until that point, the boys had played nearly every game they had learned about on the internet. They built a snowman and used random tossed and broken items as limbs and buttons. They built snow forts and split into teams to have a snowball fight. They made snow angels on the ground, and they all had handprints in the wings except for Mikey’s, because all three of his big brothers wanted to make sure his angel was perfect. 

They found cardboard boxes in the trash and used them as bumper cars—one would push the box and then other would ride in it. Leo tried using a flattened box as a snowboard and his brothers would push it forward for him. They attempted to bury Raph under the snow by piling it on top of him. 

The latest thing they did was play a bit of hockey. Raph found some old brooms and tied two pieces of wood together for two more hockey sticks, and they tossed around a tin can to try and score on each other. 

By the time their third game had begun, Donnie realized his father was late. 

He winced as snowflakes fell from the sky and onto his glasses. He blew air out and watched it dissipate. “Do you think he’s okay?” he asked, looking at Raph. 

Raph looked up from tying his boot. Mikey and Leo were busy tossing the tin can at each other’s sticks nearby, undisturbed by their father’s absence. 

“Dad’s smart,” he said, looking from the two youngest turtles to Donnie. “He’s been doin’ this stuff for years. I’m sure he’s perfectly fine, Dee.” 

Donnie rubbed his neck and looked to the sidewalk. More humans were beginning to fill the walkway now, though none had been bothered by their games in the alleyway. 

They were just kids playing out before it got too dark. 

Donnie rubbed his arm slowly and let out a cough. “What if he isn’t?” he said, and the snapping turtle stood up. “Dad’s never later than ten minutes at most. He’s the one always worrying about humans seeing us.” 

“Which also means he knows all the shortcuts and all the hideaways,” Raph reassured him, patting his brother on the back. He smiled. “Don’t worry, Donnie. It’s not every day that Pops lets us on the Surface to play, so let’s enjoy this while it lasts.” He picked up a bit of snow and plopped it down on Donnie’s head, making the softshell wince. “Come on; we still need to beat Leo and Mikey at hockey.” 

A little bit of snow rolled off of Donnie’s head and onto his nose as Raph walked off to join their siblings. Donnie brushed the snow off and watched the snapper charge in between the two youngest and stole the makeshift hockey puck. 

He smiled a little, deciding to set his worry aside, and ran off to join in on the fun. 

Splinter would be back soon. 

***** 

The minutes turned into another hour, and then another. Thicker snowflakes fell from the now dark sky, as one by one, the turtles began losing interest in the activities they had available to them. They sat down, against the wall and sang a few songs, clapping their hands, and then played Eye Spy or guessed where the humans, still giving them no heed, were walking to. Raph spoke in different tones to match the human walking by, which ended up making his little brothers laugh more than play along. 

Soon, stomachs began to growl, and temperatures dropped further than they had earlier. Leo was the first to stop singing with his siblings and sit in silence—an odd thing for someone who was as energetic as him, Raph thought. Then, Donnie retreated into a silent mode and began studying the snowflakes on his mittens. Mikey was the only on who rolled around in the snow, still singing, though the six-year-old had also proclaimed earlier that he was trying to distract himself from the grumbling in his tummy. 

When the temperature continued to drop, Raph decided it was time to hop back into the sewers, where he knew they’d be warmer. He went to lift the manhole cover alone, while his little brothers stayed near the dumpster to shield themselves from the cold. 

Mikey turned onto his back in the snow with a giggle, laying at Donnie and Leo’s feet. He raised his mitt-covered hands to the sky as light grey clouds showered flakes of white powder over his head. “Snow!” he said, waiving his hands back and forth. “You’re so pretty.” 

“Yeah,” the slider grumbled nearby, catching his attention. Leo tightened the scarf around his face and huddled in closer to Donnie, who yawned. He held himself and shivered. “P-pretty _cold,”_ he said. 

Donnie coughed, a cloud of mist emanating from the scarf he had over his muzzle, and continued studying the snowflakes that fell on his arm. “As much as I’ve quite enjoyed playing outside on the Surface,” he said, “It _is_ getting kind of cold now. Maybe dangerously cold.” 

Leo groaned and pressed against his brother some more. “It can’t be _th-that_ cold out here;” he said. “It’s c-cold, but n-none of the humans passing us are having the s-s-same reaction to it.” 

“They’re not reptile, like we are,” Donnie reminded him. “Our bodies are built for brumation, not sub-zero temperatures. That’s what Dad told us.” 

“But we’re not normal turtles,” Mikey said, sitting up and spreading out his arms. “We’re bigger.” 

“Which would explain why we aren’t succumbing to it faster.” Donnie stopped studying his arm and let out a sigh as Leo pulled his toque down. “Leo, you really can’t dig further into my side. I’m a solid mass.” 

“I don’t c-care,” Leo said. “It makes me f-feel w-warmer.” He grabbed the ends of Donnie’s scarf and buried his face in them, as the little box turtle scrambled to his feet. “I’m h-hungry and I’m f-freezing. Where the heck is Dad? He said he was going to be right back.” 

Mikey chewed on his mitt and shrugged, just as Raph ran around the dumpster. He slid to a stop and wobbled a little, arms spread out so as to not los his balance. “I can’t lift the manhole lid,” he said through pants. He leaned over his knees to catch his breath. “I thought I could, but I guess I’m not that strong yet.” 

“That’s a problem,” Donnie said, and Raph could hear the growing worry in his voice. 

Leo moaned and slump down against the brick wall. “Donniiiiiieee, I’m cold,” he said. 

“What do you expect _me_ to do about it? I’m in the same predicament as you.” 

“What’s wrong?” Raph asked. 

Donnie coughed once and got onto his hands and knees “The whole brumation thing Dad taught you and I to avoid,” he said, slowly getting to his feet. He slipped his hand behind his glasses and rubbed his eyes, while Raph walked over to help Leo up. “I think we need to get somewhere warmer before our bodies start reacting to the temperature outside. Leo’s already getting tired, and I’m coughing and rubbing snow in my eyes to keep me from doing the same.” He looked up at the dark sky as Leo pulled away from Raph and leaned against the brick wall. “Not sure how long that will work, though,” Donnie added in a mutter. 

Raph tapped his chin and looked around. “Dad _is_ taking a lot longer than he said he would,” he muttered. A chill breeze blew by, causing him to shield his face with his scarf before looking upwards at the falling snow, biting his bottom lip. He was aware of the dangers they faced if temperatures dropped any further, yet there he was, the biggest brother, unable to lift the manhole like their father had suggested he do if they got cold. The sewers were their only safe space. 

A gasp from his youngest sibling and then a tug on his sleeve made Raph pull his thoughts away from worst case scenarios. Mikey, hopping in place, pointed across the street. “Candy!” he said, catching their attention. “Can we get some candy while we’re waiting for Dad, Raphie?” 

Raph stared across the street. At the corner of the intersection was a little store, with rows of coolers for drinks and aisles of snacks and small appliances. Its windows were easily transparent, now that the sun had set. An elderly man sat at behind what Raph believed to be the front counter, since he was currently speaking to another human who had just bought something. 

The corner store had been a location Splinter warned them never to go to. It was outside the Safe Zone, and was a hot spot for the people in that part of the city, since its location was right at the corner of two busy streets. Foot traffic was always heavy there as well. 

Yet, the warm glow from indoors, the snacks in sealed bags, the shelter from the winter… it was so inviting. 

Leo yawned, and after a quick glance at him, the snapping turtle pointed across the street. “Let’s go wait for Dad in there,” he said. He picked up a pile of snow and started squishing it against the brick wall. “I’ll draw an arrow so he knows where to find us.” 

Before he put too much snow up, he felt another tug on his sleeve. A tug so strong, he dropped most of the snow in his arms. This time, Donnie had done the honors, but unlike Mikey whose only goal now was to consume candy, Raph’s purple brother stared back at him with everything _but_ joy. 

“Raph, that’s in _Human_ domain,” Donnie said, holding his arm out towards the busy street. “It’s past Dad’s Safe Zone. We can’t just walk into the streets of New York with… _this_ whole situation going on.” He gestured to his whole body, despite the only part of him showing that he was a turtle was his face. 

Raph looked at him as he spoke and considered other options, but when Leo sneezed, the snapper shook his head. “We’re covered up, so I doubt all those beanstalks will bother craning their necks to study our faces for long in this cold, Dee,” he said as he picked up more snow to continue drawing an arrow on the wall. 

“But Raph—!” 

“If _you_ can lift the manhole with your skinny little arms, be my guest, Don.” 

Donnie gave his arm another firm tug, once more causing Raph to drop his snow. The only reason he knew Donnie’s tug was firm was because he put his body weight into it _and_ used both hands. When he continued to hold Raph’s arm, the red turtle could feel his brother’s hands quiver. Whether it was because of fear or because of exhaustion due to the cold, Raph did not know. 

“We’re breaking Dad’s _rules_ if we do this, Raph,” he said, and Raph could hear him begin to hyperventilate. “We might get hurt.” 

He was using too much energy. Raph dropped the snow he had managed to hold onto and put his hands on Donnie’s, gently pulling them away from his sleeve. “Look; I don’t think it’s the best plan,” he said, as Donnie pulled his hands to his sides, “But we can’t stay outside. Leo’s having difficulty staying awake now, and I don’t know if that’s because of our turtle DNA, or him staying up late watching cartoons again. And I would prefer not to find out.” 

Donnie tapped his chin and looked at his blue brother. Leo was leaning tiredly against the wall in an awkward position, half awake, grumbling about being cold and hungry. 

“And you literally just used your whole _body_ to shake my arm, Dee,” Raph added, catching Donnie’s attention again. “Did you even notice that you did?” 

The softshell looked at his hands, and it was only then that Raph noticed him finally begin to breathe normally. Donnie held his hands together and twiddled his thumbs as he looked at the ground. 

Mikey tugged on Raph’s sleeve again, now stating that he was getting hungry. Raph sighed, looked at him and then finished up his snow arrow. “Grab Leo, Donnie,” he said, just as Mikey sneezed. “Maybe we can get him and Mikey something to eat before Dad gets back.” 

“I didn’t bring my allowance with me though,” Donnie said, walking to Leo and helping him stand properly. “I wasn’t expecting to wait outside for two hours for Dad.” 

Leo sneezed again and wiped a mitt across his snout. 

“And I think Leo needs some tissues.” 

Raph patted down the last of his arrow and then grabbed Mikey’s hand. “I have three dollars on me,” he said. 

“Wow. Enough to buy a whole chocolate bar.” 

Raph smiled a little at the sarcasm, glad at least that had not been dampened by their situation. “At least it’s something,” he said as he headed towards the street opening. “Come on; let’s go get warm.” 

“Adventure time, yes!” Mikey cheered, letting his oldest brother lead him off. 


	3. Chapter 3

They were not allowed past the border of the alley on any normal day. Too much foot traffic meant too many humans in the area, which was a threat to their lives, or so said Splinter. Raph had only joined his father once on a scavenging excursion, and the only reason the rat never brought Donnie was because Splinter didn’t trust Leo and Mikey to sit still long enough in the Lair alone; someone had to stay behind and watch them. Splinter had plans to bring Raph up before the others so that his oldest son learned the ropes, as well as to have an extra pair of hands when the time came to bring up the other three. So Raph was familiar with the surrounding streets. Even if he had never gone further than the Safe Zone with Splinter, he had memorized what the block looked like. 

That was in summer. This was the first time he explored the Surface alley during winter, and it was now about to be the first time they went beyond the Safe Zone Splinter had deemed for them. 

Raph was admittingly nervous about it. He had always been curious, but respected his father’s rule of _Stick to the Shadows._ Humans were known for being selfish and quick to judge a book by its cover, and feared anything different from them. Despite the Lou Jitsou movies proving that there _did_ exist humans who were kind and brave, Splinter had emphasized that his and his boys’ appearance would set in motion events that threatened to separate them from each other. 

Good enough reasons never to step beyond the Safe Zone. 

And yet, there was Raph, clinging onto his baby brother’s hand, swallowing hard as he readied to break the rule that kept his family safe. 

He peeked into the street. Humans walked in both directions, some talking on phones and others listening to music. A few teenagers ran past, chattering about a concert or a hockey game coming up. Cars zipped by, headlights casting enough light to turn the falling snow into glitter. 

No one seemed to take any heed of the four turtles. 

Raph pulled his scarf over his face and covered everything but his eyes. Mikey hummed a counting song as he counted people walking by, swinging his free arm. He looked up at his big brother and imitated him by pulling up his scarf as well. “Staying secret, right?” he whispered. 

Raph nodded, just as he felt someone tightly grip his other arm. Donnie wrapped his free arm around his big brother’s, his scarf up over his nose, his square spectacles fogging up a little with every uneven breath he took. He squeaked, watching the humans walk, and Raph noticed him use all of his body weight to tug down on his coat again. 

“I’m having second thoughts,” Donnie whispered, holding onto Leo’s hand as tight as he could. 

All Leo did was yawn behind his scarf and rub his eyes. 

Raph studied the slider before looking at Donnie again. He slipped his arm out of Donnie’s grasp and grabbed his hand. “Just hold onto me and you won’t get lost,” he said. “I promise.” 

“B-but what if they notice we look different?” 

“You look the most ordinary out of all of us, since your shell is flatter.” Raph looked both ways and stepped onto the sidewalk. “It’s gonna be okay, Dee.” 

He heard Donnie whimper as they stepped into the open. Raph had seen humans cross the street at the streetlights, so that was where he was headed. He tightened his hold on his brothers’ hands and led them off, listening to the crunching their boots made over the cold snow. 

Once more, no one paid them any attention. Most humans seemed more preoccupied with their phones or whatever was on their minds than four children slipping out of an alleyway. Thanks to the number of items of clothing they each wore, the turtles blended in perfectly with the humans. 

Leo yawned again. When Raph looked over his shoulder to make sure his siblings were still with him, he noticed the slider was mostly allowing Donnie to drag him along. He rubbed his eyes despite keeping them closed ninety precent of their little walk, and only responded with a tired “yeah, yeah,” when Donnie whispered for him to keep up. 

They stopped by the crowd of people at the corner of the street. Raph looked up in every direction as more and more humans surrounded them, readying to step out onto the street once the red hand turned into a white human. He used to be mesmerized by this when Splinter first showed him. He had tried holding his breath until the image changed. 

Now, he begged for the seconds to move faster, as they were now completely surrounded by giants. 

As he felt Donnie shrink against him, Mikey reached around his brothers and tugged on Leo’s arm. “Leo! Leo, lookie Leo, we’re going to the candy store with all the humans,” he said, and the blue turtle tiredly opened his eyes. “Isn’t this cool?” 

Leo blinked one eye after another and then squinted, suggesting to Raph that he was trying to focus on the orange blob of winter clothes. He pursed his lips and then looked up, and suddenly seemed a little more awake. “Uh, where’d the alley go?” he said, holding onto Donnie’s hand with both of his now. “And why are there giants?” 

“We’re going to wait somewhere warm for Dad,” Raph said. “And maybe get you something to eat.” 

“I don’t remember walking here. Are those humans? They’re a lot bigger up close.” When a human squeezed by the group and their jacket brushed against the slider’s, Leo widened his eyes and immediately pressed himself against Donnie. “Dee, how’d we get here? What’s going on?” 

Donnie looked at him with worry before looking at Raph. “He’s getting worse,” he said, and Raph could hear his breath quicken. 

“Don’t panic in the middle of the humans,” Raph whispered to him. “That’s the last thing we need right now. Just hold onto to Leo’s hand and follow me.” 

The lights changed. When the humans began crossing the street, Raph tugged his brothers along. He watched their feet, hoping not to step on anyone’s shoes. Donnie and Mikey slipped only once as they crossed, but thankfully caught themselves before losing their balance. 

As soon as they were on the other side of the street, Raph stopped and looked around. The crowd has dispersed, humans continuing down the sidewalk or turning down another. The boys had not walked that far, yet it felt like they had gone miles away from the Safe Zone. It gave him goosebumps. 

“We crossed the street all by ourselves!” Mikey said, raising an arm in the air. “We’re so cool. Dad will be proud of us.” 

“Dad will throw a fit,” Donnie mumbled. “We’re breaking his rules.” 

“I know,” Raph replied. “But I’m sure he’ll understand due to the circumstances.” He tugged his brothers along and they walked up to the front door of the corner store. 

The bell to the store chirped like a bird as Raph pushed the door open and let his brothers through. While Donnie took Leo by the hand and led him down an aisle, Raph grabbed Mikey by the hood of his coat and stopped him in his tracks as the six-year-old reached out for what his brother assumed was the snack aisle. 

Raph looked up at the man behind the counter. He was advancing in years, with wrinkles and age spots on his face, and thick glasses over his nose. Despite the white hair and the old eyes, he stood tall. He was looking through a magazine when the boys walked in. At the chime of the bell, he looked up at the door, gave Raph a quick smile before returning to reading. 

Raph blinked and returned his attention to Mikey as the six-year-old tugged on his arm. 

“If you’re gonna hold me back, at least come with me,” Mikey groaned, and Raph finally followed him. 

They walked up and down the aisles, Mikey pointing at various candy bars. Raph said nothing besides reminding Mikey that they were getting something for Leo to stay awake. He received a few groans from the youngest in response. 

He was sure Donnie had disappeared down the magazine aisle, seeing as he enjoyed looking for the crossword puzzle books and Leo loved looking for comics. Despite the two beginning to have quite different personalities from one another, they stuck together like glue in moments like these. Raph had noticed it, but refrained from mentioning it to them; he knew Donnie would get embarrassed and it would only encourage Leo to pester the purple turtle even more than he already did. 

Mikey tugged on Raph’s sleeve again, catching his attention. 

“I know you said we were getting something for Leo to eat,” he said, “But are we all gonna get something too? Because I’m hungry.” 

Raph took a deep breath and pulled out the three dollars he had in his pocket. He looked at it worriedly. “Well—!” 

“Raphael!” Donnie exclaimed. He slid into view at the end of their aisle, eyes wide with worry, before stumbling back into a run and darting out of sight. 

Raph did not bat an eyelid and ran after him, Mikey in tow. 

They were led to the magazine aisle, where he found Donnie leaning over Leo. The slider had collapsed into a sitting position on the floor, breathing quite loudly through his scarf. His chest was heaving and his eyes had glazed over. 

“He said he was dizzy and then just dropped,” Donnie said, hopping anxiously in place as their eldest brother knelt down next to Leo. 

Raph pulled his mitt off and placed a hand against Leo’s forehead. His little brother moaned. “Your hand is hot, Raphie,” he said. 

The eight-year-old pulled his hand back and slipped on the mitt again. “He’s really cold,” he said. “Leo, were you playing outside with your jacket unzipped earlier?” 

Leo swayed from side to side. “What’s that gotta do with anything?” he grumbled. 

“Donnie’s about the same size as you, and he’s still on his two feet. I know Dad’s said before that you will react to the cold faster, but this is _really_ fast.” 

Leo groaned again and his head nodded sleepily. “Maybe,” he said. “Is that bad?” 

“ _Duh_ that’s bad, you Doofus,” Raph scolded him. “You’re a…” He paused, looked around and lowered his voice. “You’re a turtle, not a human. Too much cold makes you sleepy and sick.” 

“But Dad said humans get sick too if they're too cold,” Mikey said. 

Raph lifted Leo up and gave him support to lean against. “But they don’t completely shut down as fast as reptiles,” he said. “We’re still pretty much cold blooded, Mikey.” He dragged Leo to the end of the aisle, looked around and noticed a machine for hot drinks. 

One of them being hot chocolate. 

“I know what I’m spending my three dollars on,” Raph said. He and Donnie dragged Leo to the machine, which was near the front desk of the store, and sat him down against the wall. “Make sure he doesn’t fall asleep,” Raph said to his other siblings, before rushing to the front desk. 

The man, who had been watching them since they dragged Leo into view, looked at the turtle as he ran over. Raph tried ignoring that he noticed this and only looked back once he had reached the counter, where his chin just reached over the top. 

“Hello, Mister,” Raph said as politely as he could in his urgency. “How much is a small cup of hot chocolate?” 

The man pushed up his glasses and looked at the machine. “It’s two dollars and seventy-five cents after tax,” he said. 

“I dunno what tax is, but here.” Raph slapped three dollars down on the counter and then pointed at the machine. “Can you show me how to pour one, please? I’ve never done it before.” 

The man took the three dollars and walked out from behind the counter. He grabbed a Styrofoam cup and lid, filled it with the hot chocolate at the machine, and handed it to the red-clad turtle. 

Raph gently grabbed it in his hands. “Thank you, Mister,” he said, before immediately turning and running to his siblings. 

Donnie was holding Leo’s cold cheeks in his hands, talking to him, when Raph arrived. The snapping turtle knelt down in front of the slider and held out the cup. “Here, Leo,” he said, as his brother held out his hands. “Drink some of this, but not too fast. Don’t burn your tongue.” 

Leo’s hands shook so much that Raph had to help him tip it into his mouth. The moment the warm liquid hit his lips, Leo’s eyes rolled back and he hummed happily as he sucked it in. 

“Feel better?” Raph asked. 

Leo nodded. 

“Good. Drink the whole thing. It should help a little.” 

He felt a tug on his arm, and when Raph turned and looked up, Mikey was still holding onto his sleeve. 

“Raphie, can I get some too?” he asked. “I’m really, really hungry and thirsty.” 

Raph felt his heart sink as his bit his lip. “I… don’t have any more money, Mikey,” he said quietly. 

Mikey’s eyes lost their spark. “So, Donnie and I can’t have some either?” 

“ _I_ can’t even have some, Buddy. I had to use all of my money on that one cup. If Leo wasn’t so cold, then maybe we could’ve shared it.” 

Mikey whimpered and looked at the floor as his eyes filled with tears. 

Raph hated it when any of his brothers started crying. “I’m… I’m really sorry, Mikey—!” 

“Excuse me.” 

Raph felt a chill climb his spine when he heard a deep voice speak behind him. He looked up spun around just as Mikey gasped and ran over to hid behind a now petrified Donnie. 

The man from the front desk was standing directly behind them. 


	4. Chapter 4

Raph swallowed and only raised a hand to make sure his scarf was securely over his snout. Donnie squeaked, but that was the only sound he made. Mikey, despite his curious stare, squeezed his grasp on Donnie’s sleeve and only peered cautiously around his brother. 

Even Leo, despite his condition, stared up at the newcomer with growing concern. Raph pulled down his brother’s toque as far as he could in order to hide the slider’s red markings. 

The man seemed unfazed by their sudden silence. He pushed his glasses up and looked at Leo. “Is your friend alright?” he said with a little head nod. 

Raph exchanged a look with Donnie before clearing his throat. “Um, my brother is just really cold, Sir,” he said. “We… um, don’t do well in cold weather.” 

The man raised his eyebrows. “I suppose you boys are not used to the winters here in New York, hm?” he said with a little smile. “You new here?” 

Raph mulled over those words. “I… guess that’s one way of puttin’ it,” he said with a nod. 

The man nodded back. “Would you and your other two brothers like to have some hot chocolate then?” he asked. 

Mikey immediately perked up and looked at Raph with bright eyes. Raph paused, and to ignore his grumbling stomach, he patted his pockets down and pretended to search for cash he knew he did not have. “B-but I don’t have any more money, Sir,” he said. 

The man had already grabbed three more cups and was ready to pour the drinks. “Bah; I can easily pay for them myself, Boy,” he said. He finished filling the cups and then handed them to the other three turtles. “Enjoy.” 

Mikey pushed by Donnie and ran to the front of the group, no longer concerned for his safety. Food and beverage was much more important to him now. He yanked down his scarf from his nose and hopped in place until he had received the drink. “Thank you, thank you, Mister!” he said, as Donnie took his cup and bowed in thanks. 

Raph did not grab his until he was sure Leo could hold his own. 

“So, what are four little boys like you doing out this late?” the man said, standing up straight and putting his hands in his pockets. “I don’t get kids your age here after dark. They usually come around midday during lunch hour.” 

“We’re waiting for our Dad,” Mikey said. He licked his lips. “He went scaven—!” 

Donnie slapped his hand over Mikey’s mouth. “He went shopping a couple of hours ago and we got locked out of our house,” he said. 

The man looked at him in shock. “Your father left you four all alone?” he said, not without a hint of concern in his voice. 

Raph shook his head. “He doesn’t usually go far, and it doesn’t normally take him this long,” he said. “He must be stuck in… um, traffic or something.” 

The man did not seem to suspect anything from their blatant lies. Not even Mikey’s honesty seemed to stir anything in him. 

“If you don’t want us in here, we can leave,” Donnie said meekly, catching everyone’s attention. He hid his face further in his scarf. “We shouldn’t launder. We can always find some other warm place.” 

Even Raph seemed horrified that Donnie would even suggest going back out, but the man chuckled. “Oh nonsense, Young Man,” he said. “If the weather outside is bothering your brother this much, I would be mad to let you boys out now.” He squatted over Leo. “Has he had anything to eat?” 

Leo peered up at him tiredly behind his cup of hot chocolate. His cheeks were already red as warmth returned to him. He shook his head. 

“Only some gummies,” Mikey said. “And that was two hours ago.” He held up a hand. “We had seven each! I’m good at countin’.” 

The man rubbed his chin and reached out for Leo. “Come here, Boy,” he said, picking him up. 

Leo was clearly shocked to have been even touched by a human— Raph noticed his body go rigid and his eyes open wide as he was raised off of the floor. 

Donnie began hyperventilating again as the man stood up and walked off with Leo. Mikey grabbed his hand and tried to calm him as Raph got to his feet and followed the man to the front desk. “Um, what are you gonna do with him?” he said, trying to steady the quiver in his voice. 

“Oh, I’m just going to get him a bit more comfortable, is all,” the man said. He sat Leo down on the counter and then grabbed his coat, which was sitting on the chair behind him. It was a large, thick brown coat with a fur hood, or it looked like fur to the snapper. Certainly something that would keep a human warm. The man wrapped the seven-year-old in it, hood and all. “That will help keep in the warmth,” he said. “Would you like something to eat?” 

Leo, still shocked to suddenly be wrapped in a human’s clothing, nodded. 

“Maybe you will do better with something warm. What do you like to eat?” 

The turtle’s eyes brightened. “Pizza,” he said, his voice hoarse. 

“Ah! Then you’re in luck.” The man turned and reached into a hot food display behind him and pulled out a piece of pepperoni pizza, and Mikey gasped so loud it made Raph and Donnie jump. “I just happen to have some leftovers from today.” 

Raph looked at his baby brother from the corner of his eye when Mikey released a sound from his mouth very similar to a balloon letting air out slowly. Please, Mikey; don’t explode. 

Leo smacked his lips together and reached out for the pizza as it was handed to him. “Th-thank you,” he said, before taking a little bite out of it. 

Mike raised his hand into the air. “Me next!” he exclaimed, and Donnie tried pushing his hand back down. “I want a pizza too!” 

The man turned around and pulled out three more pieces for the remaining boys. “Come and get ‘em, Boys,” he said. “On the house.” 

“Wait, really?” Donnie said in awe, as Mikey cheered and ran over to grab the pizza. The softshell pulled down his scarf. “You’re giving us _free_ food?” 

“The leftovers get thrown out at the end of the day anyway,” the man said as he handed Mikey and Raph their pieces. The last one was held out to Donnie. “You look like you might be hungry too, Kid. Best to eat something.” 

Raph watched Donnie reluctantly pull his hands back to himself and tuck them under his arms, all the while staring at the food with big eyes. The pizza looked so good, but he was afraid of getting any closer to the human. 

So, his big brother snatched the slice from the man’s hands and held it up, swinging it back and forth. “I’ll eat it if you don’t,” Raph taunted. “You know I will.” He opened his mouth and began to sloooowlyyyy direct the pizza towards it. 

That seemed to snap Donnie out. “Don’t you DARE!” he exclaimed, running over and snatching the pizza from him. He shoved Raph back and came to a stop a few feet away, eyes narrowed. He hissed at his brother before stuffing the entire pizza into his mouth. 

Raph snickered. 

“My guess is you boys really _love_ pizza,” the man said, walking back behind the desk. 

“It’s our favourite food group!” Mikey said, throwing his hands into the air—a stray pepperoni flew off his pizza in the process. “My dad is teaching me how to make it, so we don’t always have to look for leftovers in the gar—!” 

Raph placed a hand over Mikey’s mouth and shushed him. 

This time, the man noticed it. “Garbage, hm?” he said, and his eyes looked sad. 

Raph glared at Mikey, who shrugged apologetically in return behind his gloved hand. The snapper sighed before looking at the human. “We don’t eat out of the garbage,” he said. “It’s just that sometimes food is a little hard to get where we live, so we can’t always come out and buy it.” 

“You mean you steal it?” 

Leo giggled. “I told you it was called stealin’,” he said between pizza bites. 

“We don’t steal,” Donnie scolded him. “We grab leftovers when they’re thrown out and still fresh. Sometimes we’ll dumpster dive, but that’s usually for non-editable items—!” 

He realized he said too much when Raph glared at him. Donnie had gotten too comfortable with the pizza, and immediately slapped his hand over his mouth. His face turned a dark shade of red. 

Leo laughed quietly. “Busted,” he chanted. 

The man waited for the boys to calm down before speaking again. “Dumpster diving isn’t something you should be _ashamed_ of doing,” he said. “Especially if you don’t have a lot of money. Plenty of people in these parts of the city do it. A lot of people leave things out so that others can take them.” 

Raph rubbed his neck. “Well, we’re not exactly short on money,” he said. “We just… can’t go out in public as often as a lot of other people can. It’s um… bad for us.” 

“People will look at us funny,” Mikey added. 

The man tilted his head. “How so?” 

Donnie, Leo and Mikey all turned their heads and looked at Raph, clearly interested to see how their big brother would respond. The red-clad turtle twiddled his thumbs as he cleared his throat, trying to find the right thing to say without giving away the fact that they were not human. 

“Um… we have a…” He felt his cheeks get hot—he knew his siblings would tease him for what he was about to say, but it was all he could think of: “We… have a skin condition.” 

Despite the words being muttered, everyone heard him. Leo choked on his pizza and began coughing. As the man asked him if he was alright and needed a glass of water, Raph looked at his other siblings reluctantly. 

Mikey had his head tilted to one side in curious confusion. Donnie however, had slapped both of his hands over his mouth to keep his laughter in. His shoulders were bouncing up and down and tears were forming in his eyes. 

Raph glared back at him. “It’s not contagious,” he clarified, knowing that would be something the store owner was asking himself at that moment. “We were just born with… funny coloured skin that makes us look different. So, we don’t go out in public often.” 

The man patted Leo’s back until the boy was breathing properly again, keeping his eyes on Raph. “The colour of your skin should never matter,” he said. 

“Our colour’s not… normal, I guess. We’d scare people.” 

“Well, you don’t scare me.” 

Raph had no response. He had never had to explain why they had to stay covered or hide from humans before, least of all to a human himself. Now that he had, and the human seemed unfazed, he had no arguments left. Humans were supposed to be rude and judgmental, or so said their father, not patient and understanding. 

Still not safe enough to reveal what they were, but certainly a step in a direction Raph had not expected. 

As he looked away with embarrassment, the man crossed his arms over the counter. “You boys are welcome here whenever you’d like,” he said with a smile. “No matter your skin colour. And if you want to stay covered when you do visit, then I won’t pry.” He waited for Raph to look at him again before pushing his glasses up his nose. “You can call me Mr. Corner Store. Most kids your age do when they stop by. CS for short. What are your names?” 

Mikey looked at his brothers to see who would speak first, but when no one did, he raised his arm and smiled. “My name is Michelangelo,” he said. “But you can call me Mikey.” 

Mikey’s comfortableness with the situation made Raph feel more at ease, and so he followed suit. “I’m Raphael,” he said, a hand on his chest. “I’m the oldest. The one in purple is Donatello, and the one who’s sleepy is Leonardo.” 

“But you can call them Donnie and Leo,” Mikey added, as Donnie waved timidly. “They’re the same age.” 

The store owner whistled and looked at Leo. “So, you’re twins, hm?” 

Leo beamed and looked at Donnie. 

Donnie stuttered. “We’re not… well…” He paused and passed a hand over his face, knowing that anything he said would garner another long-winded explanation. “Yeah, we’re twins.” He puffed out his chest. “But _I’m_ older. And more responsible.” 

“Debatable, but I’m still cooler and more fun,” Leo said, sticking his nose into the air. 

The store owner chuckled. “I have a twin,” he said. 

Donnie and Leo looked at him with big eyes, Leo nearly inhaling his pizza. 

“Does he look like you?” Mikey asked. 

The man shrugged. “I mean, she’s not a boy, but we have similar features.” 

“Omigosh, you can have a twin that doesn’t _look_ like you?” Leo whispered in awe. Before the man could respond, he turned and pointed at Donnie. “HA!” he said, making the softshell jump. “I TOLD you we didn’t have to be identical!” 

“Our situation is different, you know that,” Donnie mumbled. 

“Nu-uh. I just like face-painting.” 

Donnie let his mouth hang open, but again found that if he spoke, he would need to explain why red-eared Sliders have marks on their faces, and why softshells don’t. So, he groaned and waved his hands in Leo’s face before turning around and crossing his arms. 

The store owner laughed and rubbed the Leo’s head. “I assume you’re feeling better now?” 

Leo stuffed the rest of his pizza into his mouth and nodded his head. “My legs still feel kinda tingly, but I’m not super tired anymore,” he said, mouth full of food. 

“Well, if you boys would like to stay until your father arrives, you’re welcome to do so.” The man sat back in his chair. “It’s usually quieter this time of day, so I like to sit and do crossword puzzles to pass the time.” 

Donnie gasped and jumped up at the desk, peeking over it. “May I help you, Sir?” he said. “I _love_ crossword puzzles. I’m really smart, you know.” 

The man gestured with his hand for Donnie to come around the front desk. “Why not?” he said. “I have difficulty with some of these words.” He helped Donnie climb up onto his lap. “I can’t seem to get this one,” he added, as the boy held up the book. “ _To consider or think something out carefully and thoroughly—!”_

“That’s _excogitate,”_ Donnie said, grabbing the pen from the man’s hand and writing it in. “I’ve used that one on Leo when I want him to feel _really_ dumb.” 

“You use a _lot_ of big words on me,” Leo said, wrapping himself up tighter in the man’s jacket. 

As Donnie began reading through the missing words on the puzzle, the man looked over at the two other turtles. “Did you want anything to entertain yourselves?” he asked. 

Mikey raised his hand “Gummies!” he said. Raph immediately put Mikey's hand down and frowned at him. 

“How about this.” The human reached over the counter and gave Raph a broom. “I haven’t had the chance to sweep the place today because there was so much foot traffic. If you could sweep the floor for me…” He handed the dustpan to Mikey. “And if you could collect the dirt and dust, then I will let you both choose a treat of your choice.” 

“You’re givin’ us a lot of free stuff, Mister,” Raph said as Mikey stared with bright eyes at the dustpan. “Are you sure this is oka—!” 

Mikey glared at him as his brother spoke, and smacked him over the head with the dustpan. “Don’t look a horse in the mouth, Raph!” he snapped as his sibling groaned and rubbed his head. “He’s offering us free snacks, so start sweepin’!” 


End file.
